Break apart packaging for consumable products

ABSTRACT

A package assembly includes a package housing ( 10 ) having a generally rectangular configuration defining a package interior. A pair of confectionery pieces ( 12 ) are supported in side-by-side spaced relationship within the package housing. The package housing includes a rupture line ( 30 ) perimetrically thereabout located between the spaced apart confectionery pieces. The package housing may be separated at the rapture line to form a pair of compartments ( 10   a,    10   b ), each compartment including one of the confectionery pieces.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/080,301 filed on Jul. 14, 2008, the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a package for containing a plurality of consumable products such as gum pieces. More particularly, the present invention relates to a break apart package which allows easy dispensing of a plurality of gum pieces individually from compartments of the break apart package.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There exists a wide variety of packages used to contain and dispense consumable products such as various configurations of gum pieces. Many of the packages hold and dispense a great number of such products. Often it is necessary to provide a product package which contains a small number of gum pieces to thereby reduce the costs of each individual package.

Currently, there exists a small package for containing two pieces of pellet gum in a single package. The package is a conventional rectangular cardboard box, the ends of which are sealed to retain the product. The product is dispensed by unsealing one of the ends of the box so that the two pieces of gum may be simultaneously dispensed from the package. Obviously, a package of this type requires a certain degree of manual dexterity to open the sealed ends of the small box to remove the products therefrom.

Still further, in containing and dispensing a small number of gum pieces, these packages are also often designed for sharing the product with another person. In many of the prior art packages, opening of the package results in dispensing all of the gum pieces contained therein into the hand of the user, Thus, to share the contents with another person, it is necessary to physically contact each of the pieces before sharing. Thus, both opening of a package to dispense the small number of pieces contained therein and allowing the pieces to be shared without need to actually touch or handle the individual pieces, has not been previously satisfactorily addressed.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a product package which can contain a small number of pieces, and yet be easily openable and sharable with another person without need to contact each piece itself, when sharing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a package for containing a plurality of consumable pieces. The package includes a housing for containing the consumable pieces. The package housing includes a separation location which permits separation of the housing into at least two compartments. Each compartment contains at least one of the consumable pieces. The separation location defines an opening of each compartment for dispensing the consumable piece therefrom.

In a preferred embodiment, a separation location can be provided by a rupturable line such as a perforation line placed about the package. Preferably, the package contains two consumable pieces, one piece remaining with each compartment after opening.

In a preferred embodiment, the package housing is formed from a single flat blank which is folded into the desired configuration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective showing of a packaging housing formed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a package housing of FIG. 1 separated into two compartments for dispensing a gum piece contained in each compartment.

FIG. 3 shows a flat blank used to form the package housing of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides a package for containing and dispensing small quantities of product therefrom. More specifically, the present invention provides a package for containing two pieces of gum product in pellet form. The package is easier to open, may be sold at a lower cost, and allows the product to be dispensed without significant consumer contact with the product.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1-3. A package 10 is formed to preferably contain two gum pellets 12 in side-by-side relationship. Referring specifically to FIG. 3, a flat blank 20 which is used to form package 10 is shown. The flat blank may be formed from a planar sheet of a wide variety of materials including cardboard, plastic, metallic foil, or combinations thereof in a single or multiple layers. The flat blank 20 may be folded and configured as shown in FIG. 1. The peripheral edges 22 of the flat blank are folded and sealably closed, preferably by the use of a suitable adhesive. In forming the flat blank 20, a separation location preferably in the form of a transverse rupturable perforation line 30 is provided, The perforation line 30 extends fully across the flat blank 20 so that when the package 10 is formed into the configuration shown in FIG. 1, it defines a complete perimetrical perforation line centrally about the package 10. While a perforation line is shown, other types of weakened rupture lines such as a laser score may be employed.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the formed package 10 is generally a rectangular member having opposed major surfaces 32 and 34. The package 10 also includes opposed top and bottom walls 36 and 38, respectively, and opposed end walls 40 and 42 which are adhesively closed. This defines a package interior 15. As shown in FIG. 2, a pair of gum pellets 12 are supported within the interior 15 of package in spaced apart side-by-side relationship. While the shape, size and configuration of the package shown in FIG. 1 is a preferred embodiment, other configurations of the package 10 are within the contemplation of the present invention. Generally, the package is designed to match the configuration of a pair of products which are contained therein in side-by-side relationship.

The perforation line 30 extending perimetrically about package 10 is designed to provide a weak area which allows “breaking open” of the package between the pellets 12 contained therein. As may be appreciated, a user may grasp the package on either side of the perforation line 30 and bend the package about the perforation line to cause opening of the package 10 thereat. The open package, shown more full in FIG. 2, allows dispensing of the gum pellets 12 therefrom through an opening 11 defined by the perforation line 30 and separating the package 10 into individual compartments 10 a and 10 b. Such compartment may contain one pellet 12.

One of the benefits of the package of the present invention is that the package can be opened and the gum pellets 12 dispensed therefrom without having to remove the gum pellets manually, i.e., each gum pellet 12 can be spilled out of each of compartments 10 a and 10 b. This is a particular benefit where it is desired to share one of the gum pellets 12 in package 10. In this manner, the package can be broken open and the compartment with one pellet therein transferred to another person without touching the gum pellet.

The present invention provides advantages over pellet packages of the prior art in that instead of having to open the sealably closed ends 40 and 42 which requires a certain degree of manual dexterity, the user merely breaks open the package at the perforation line thereby separating the package 10 into the two compartments 10 a and 10 b so that the gum pellets 12 may be dispensed from opening 11.

ITEMS

Item 1. A package for containing a plurality of consumable pieces comprising:

a package housing for containing said consumable pieces, said package housing having a separation location which permits separation of said housing into at least two compartments, each compartment containing at least one of said consumable pieces and wherein said separation location defines an opening of each compartment for dispensing said at least one consumable piece therefrom.

Item 2. A package of item 1 wherein said separation location is a rupturable line.

Item 3. A package of item 2 wherein the rupturable line is a perforation.

Item 4. A package of item 2 wherein said rupturable line is a score line.

Item 5. A package of item 1 wherein said package includes a rupturable line perimetrically about said housing so as to completely separate said compartments.

Item 6. A package of items 1-5 wherein said housing contains two said consumable pieces and wherein said separation location is defined between said two products.

Item 7. A package of item 6 wherein each said compartment contains one of said two consumable pieces.

Item 8. A package of items 1-7 wherein said package housing is formed from a single flat blank which is folded in a package configuration.

Item 9. A package assembly comprising:

a package housing having a generally rectangular configuration defining a package interior; and

a pair of confectionery pieces supported in side-by-side spaced apart relationship;

said package housing having a rupture line perimetrically thereabout located between said spaced apart confectionery pieces;

whereby said package housing may be separable at said rupture line to form a pair of compartments each compartment including one said confectionery piece.

Item 10. A package assembly of item 9 wherein said rupture line is defined by a perforation.

Item 11. A package assembly of item 9 wherein said confectionery products are gum pellets.

Item 12. A package assembly of items 9-11 wherein said package assembly is formed from a flat paperboard blank.

Item 13. A package assembly of item 9 wherein said rupture line defines an opening for each compartment.

Various changes to the foregoing described and shown structures would now be evident to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the particularly disclosed scope of the invention is set forth in the following claims. 

1. A package for containing a plurality of consumable pieces comprising: a package housing for containing said consumable pieces, said package housing haying a separation location which permits separation of said housing into at least two compartments, each compartment containing at least one of said consumable pieces and wherein said separation location defines an opening of each compartment for dispensing said at least one consumable piece therefrom.
 2. A package of claim 1 wherein said separation location is a rupturable line.
 3. A package of claim 2 wherein the rupturable line is a perforation.
 4. A package of claim 2 wherein said rupturable line is a score line.
 5. A package of claim 1 wherein said package includes a rupturable line perimetrically about said housing so as to completely separate said compartments.
 6. A package of claim 2 wherein said housing contains two said consumable pieces and wherein said separation location is defined between said two products.
 7. A package of claim 6 wherein each said compartment contains one of said two consumable pieces.
 8. A package of claim 1 wherein said package housing is formed from a single flat blank which is folded in a package configuration.
 9. A package assembly comprising: a package housing having a generally rectangular configuration defining a package interior; and a pair of confectionery pieces supported in side-by-side spaced apart relationship; said package housing having a rupture line perimetrically thereabout located between said spaced apart confectionery pieces; whereby said package housing may be separated at said rupture line to form a pair of compartments each compartment including one said confectionery pieces.
 10. A package assembly of claim 9 wherein said rupture line is defined by a perforation.
 11. A package assembly of claim 9 wherein said confectionery products are gum pellets.
 12. A package assembly of claim 9 wherein said package assembly is formed from a flat paperboard blank.
 13. A package assembly of claim 9 wherein said rupture line defines an opening for each compartment. 